The latest from the Initiative.
Initiative to Change the “D-Word”: A Year of Shifting Language and Building Support
In 2025, the Initiative to Change the “D-Word” continued to build momentum around a shared belief: language matters. Through new partnerships, growing advisory leadership, and increased visibility across media and policy conversations, the Initiative advanced more constructive, compassionate language in brain health. Together, these efforts helped reduce stigma and support earlier, more empowered engagement for individuals and families.
Beating the Odds: Patients, Perspective and Possibility - What's Health Got to Do with It?
In this weekly talk segment with Dr. Joe Sirven, Mike discusses transforming fear into purpose and launching a national effort to remove the words like “dementia” from medical language and replace the stigmatizing terms with words that honor dignity. He reveals how early Alzheimer’s reshaped his daily life, why he chose to go public with his diagnosis and the importance of redefining what it means to live with cognitive impairment.
Initiative Advisor Dr. Dani Cabral: Reimagining Brain Health, Ditching the “D-Word”
Advisory Committee Member Dr. Dani Cabral is creating a new model of care for people living with progressive cognitive changes and their families. At the heart of her practice is a simple but powerful shift: eliminating the “d-word.” “By eliminating the ‘d-word’ from my clinical practice, I ensure that patients and families feel seen, respected, and full of possibility. Language is where that care begins,” says Dr. Cabral.
On this podcast with Dr. Dani Cabral, Mike shares his personal journey with Alzheimer's, including his experiences as a care partner for his parents and his own diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. He emphasizes the importance of early detection, the stigma surrounding Alzheimer's, and the need for a language change regarding dementia. Mike's initiative to change the narrative around Alzheimer's aims to empower individuals and reduce stigma, encouraging proactive health management and gratitude in the face of challenges.
The Mike Zuendel Effect in the New Alzheimer’s Era: One Man. One Mission. Thousands Inspired. - Resilient Aging Unfiltered
Mike Zuendel’s Alzheimer’s Journey - Living Our Best With Memory Loss
In this two-part special from the Living Our Best With Memory Loss podcast, Mike Zuendel shares his deeply personal and proactive journey with memory loss. He shares his family’s history with Alzheimer’s and his own genetic predisposition, carrying both APOE4 genes. Discover his “moment of truth” that prompted him to seek an early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease, and his mission to eliminate the “d-word.”
The Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium honors philanthropist Michael Zuendel - Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium
The Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium has honored Mike Zuendel with its John Theobald Memorial Community Service Award, given in memory of the Consortium’s founding Board Chair.
Changing the Narrative: One Man’s Journey to Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment - Dementia Matters
Mike Zuendel joins the podcast to share his experience of being diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease and how he’s pushing back against the stigma surrounding dementia. He also talks about how early detection and treatment have allowed him to lead a normal life with cognitive impairment.
Changing Lives by Challenging Use of the Word Dementia - Generations Now
In this featured blog piece in the American Society on Aging’s Generations Now, Mike Zuendel addresses his experience and how stigma is keeping people from early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Phasing out the ‘D-word’ - STAT
In this op-ed from Initiative founder Mike Zuendel, he addresses the need for change - and the opportunity he found in a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
For Patients on Discontinued Aduhelm, What Now? - Being Patient
Mike Zuendel speaks about his experience with new anti-amyloid treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
In this episode of Samuel Simon’s video blog, Mike opens up about his personal journey with Alzheimer’s and his advocacy work as Founder and Advocate in Chief of the Initiative to Change the “D-Word”
